By Barry Pickthall

Germán Frers is one of the top names within an elite group of international yacht designers. This lavish 207 page coffee table book charts the story of the Frers Argentine design dynasty, and was written unashamedly to fuel one's desire to own a beautiful boat.

The Frers name is synonymous with grace, artistry and speed - A design heritage spanning 3 generations that to date, has been responsible for the launching of more than 10,000 boats from dinghies to day keelboats, distinctive cruisers to successful racers, powerboats and superyachts.

During the 50's and 60's when the design skills of Germ&aacuten Frers Snr. were at their zenith, good yacht design was very much down to intuition and experience. This book shows how those traditional skills continue to hold true, but are now mixed with the very precise demands of structural analysis, aerodynamics, computer wizardry and hi-tech engineering.

History
Early chapters chart six generations of family history: How one ship owned by a Frers ancestor, was escorting a pirated Portuguese frigate back across the Atlantic in 1820, and sought refuge in the Malvinas Islands. Her crew found the Spanish had deserted their base, and in an act that remains central to Argentine claims today, took formal possession of what are now known as the Falklands.

'A Passion for Design' also highlights the rise of Frers Snr.' first son Germán in the world of IOR and Maxi yacht racing during the 70's and '80's, his involvement in three America's Cup campaigns and his pioneering work in developing performance oriented cruisers and superyachts. Now, Germ&aacuten Frers Jnr. the third generation, is adding to this reputation, having worked with his Father on some of the most prestigious projects from Dr Jim Clark's 155ft Hyperion and Prada boss Patrizio Bertelli's 105ft Ulisse, to a variety of successful Open class racers and on his own account, Sweden's Victory 2002/3 America's Cup challenger.

The Author
Barry Pickthall is the former yachting correspondent for The Times who has spent much of his writing career from the early 70s tracing the Frers success story from Admiral's Cup to America's Cup.

Available at:
www.southatlanticpublishing.com